Question

Copyright law protects any work of authorship ________.

a. 90 days after it is approved by the U.S. Copyright Office
b. As soon as it is approved by the U.S. Copyright Office
c. The moment it assumes a tangible form
d. One year after it assumes a tangible form
e. 30 days after it assumes a tangible form

Answer 1

Copyright protection begins the moment an original work is fixed in a tangible form and lasts for the author's life plus 70 years.

Step-by-step explanation:

Copyright protection in the United States exists automatically and begins from the moment an original work of authorship is fixed in a tangible form of expression. This means that the correct answer is 'c. The moment it assumes a tangible form'. A work is considered 'fixed' when it can be perceived, reproduced, or otherwise communicated for a period of more than transient duration. The moment a work is written down, recorded, or otherwise made into a physical or digital form, copyright protection comes into effect without the need for registration with the U.S. Copyright Office. The duration of this protection typically extends for the life of the author plus 70 years thereafter, ensuring a prolonged period during which the work cannot be reproduced, displayed, or performed without the author's permission.